Fatum Betula (2020)

As a player, Fatum Betula hosts fulfilling gameplay, rewarding exploration with an atmosphere of thick nostalgia and childhood fear. As a curator, it is a brief exploration into auteur theory, and that direction is never necessarily important, only context.

There’s been something of a PlayStation One era revival in the indie gaming scene over the past few years, with a visual style and presentation reminiscent of PS1 classics. Fatum Betula is no exception, adding further credence to the idea that we are seeing an early 3D era renaissance of sorts. Even for those that hold next to no nostalgia for such an old-school presentation, Fatum Betula’s problem-solving gameplay and borderline haunting mood make it a must-play.

Fatum Betula finds virtue in the 32-bit generation. It is impossible to return to the ethos that powered games from a quarter century ago, but Fatum Betula captures their spirit and respects their integrity. The wild sense of experimentation, the natural invitation to curiosity, and the harsh beauty imposed by technical limitations shine through every austere texture and restrained polygon.